A film and television production studio is coming to Hamilton

n this Friday, Sept. 6, 2013 photo, an old "start" frame of a film reel sits in a projector at the Chuan Mei Theater in Tainan, Taiwan. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Wally Santana)

HAMILTON -- A production studio is planned for Hamilton, Ont., that could turn the city into an international hub for film, television and digital media production.

Aeon Studio Group, a film and television studios developer, announced Tuesday that the Hamilton Studio District will include modern sound stages, production offices and facilities.

The studio, expected to be built in central Hamilton, will allow for post-production, animation, visual effects, game development, music and more.

ASG said it plans to build about 46,500 square metres of stage space in Hamilton, with 14,000 square metres expected to be built and operational in a year.

The studio says the facility will also be a centre for local talent and will enrich the creative industry community.

The space will also include two residential towers and an open public area.

"Hamilton is the perfect place for a production hub in the west-end Greater Toronto and Hamilton area because of its proximity to diverse filming locations, thriving arts and culture workforce, limited traffic congestion, supply of industrial buildings ripe for conversion into lower cost studio space, and because productions that film there qualify for additional provincial tax credits," ASG partner Mike Bruce said at a news conference Tuesday.

Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger said the studio will create jobs and transform the city.

"It will see the rejuvenation of a brown field located in the heart of our city, and see this area transformed into a beautiful, campus-like environment, fully accessible to the community and conveniently located next to the West Harbour GO station and near our future LRT," he said.

Hamilton's economic development director Glen Norton said the studio is in line with the city's priorities of investing in jobs and the creative industries.

"We look forward to finalizing this purchase agreement and start the development process as soon as possible," he said.